Thread-finishing machine.



INVENTORS PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

E J LIPPS & F OTT THREAD FINISHING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 10,1906.

Q NAMNLN NW. M

- No. 871,999. PATENTED NOV. 26. 1907.

E. J. LIPPS & F. OTT. THREAD FINISHING MACHINE. 1

APPLIOA'ZION FILED JAN.10, 1906 3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

T ESSES: 'INVENTORG N mow L/PP ffimL Zw/r arr,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMORY .I. LIPPS AND FREDERICK OTT, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

THREAD-FINISHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1907.53;

Application filed January 10.1906. Serial No. 295339.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EMORY J. LIPPs and FREDERICK OTT, both of SouthBethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thread-FinishingMachines, whereof the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

Our improvements relate to machines which comprise a reservoir arrangedto con tain a suitable liquid through which the thread is passed, and aheater arranged to dry said thread.

It is the object of our invention to provide such a machine with meansarranged to twist and roll the thread transversely with respect to itslength, in a dampened state, in contact with a suitable heated surfaceso as to cause its normally projecting fibers to coalesce with the bodyof the thread and thereby produce a thread which is stronger, smoother,and more lustrous than the unfinished thread.

The form of our invention herein shown and described, comprises areservoir arranged to contain a suitable liquid through which thethreads are directed, between posts which separate them, and thenceacross felt wipers, and over a rotary heated drum to a heated tableprovided with reciprocatory bars having thread guides arranged to engageand shift the threads transversely in contact with the surfaces of thedrum and table as they are drawn over them in the direction of theirlength.

Our invention includes the various novel features of construction andarrangement hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, is a plan view of a machineconveniently embodying our improvements. Fig. II, is a side elevationalview of said machine. Fig. III, is an end elevational view as seen fromthe right hand end of the machine with respect to Figs. I, and II. Fig.IV, is a perspective view of the reciprocatory bar and its supports.Fig. V, is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line V, V,in Fig. II.

In said figures;the frames 1, are supported on the legs of standards 2,and 3, and from the latter extend the-brackets 4, arranged to adjustablysupport the frame 5, which rests upon the adjusting screws 6, and

carries the reservoir 7, having the separating posts 8, and 9, betweenwhich the threads 10, pass as they are drawn from their respectivespools on the spool rack (not shown). Said reservoir 7, is divided intotwo sections, as best shown in Fig. I, each comprising an outlet spigot11, whereby the liquid 12, may be drawn ofl. Said threads areconveniently directed through the liquid 12, by passing between theposts 13, over the guide bar 14, beneath the guide bar 15, which issubmerged in the liquid, between the separating posts 8, and 9, andacross the felt wipers 16, and 17, which are arranged to drain thesurplus liquid absorbed by the threads, back into the reservoir, andthereby partially dry said threads before passing to the drum and tableto be smoothed or ironed.

The rotary heated drum 19, which is journaled in the bearing frames 20,and 21, and provided with a worm gear 22, is arranged to be slowlyrotated in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. II, by the worm23, on whose shaft 2 1, is secured the bevel gear 25, in toothedengagement with the beveled gear 26, on the shaft 27, which carries thedriving pulley 28. .1..

As best shown in Figs. II, and V, the drum 19, is arranged to becontinuously washed by being partly submerged in the water 30, containedin the reservoir 31, which is supported on the frames 4; and to furtherinsure that the surface of said drum may be prevented from collecting adeposit from the threads 10 a scraper is provided which comprises a pairof wires 34, and 35, which are secured to the frame 20, at pointscoincident with the diametrically opposite sides of the periphery of thedrum, and which extend in contact with the surface of said drum, crossedas best shown in Fig. I, to points oppositely disposed on the frame 21,where they overhang said frame and are provided with weights 36, and 37,arranged to provide requisite tension to insure a substantial frictionalcontact with the drum surface.

The table comprises a steam chest 38, having a flat surface arranged tobe heated to a suitable temperature to iron the threads, which are drawnin the direction of their length over said drum and table between theguide posts 39, which are in the form of cylinders having rounded ends,and made of porcelain or such other material as will not rust orcorrodejgig Said threads being maintained in contact with the surfacesof the drum and table (which lie in a common plane) by passing beneaththe cross rod 40.

As best shown in Fig. I, steam is admitted through the inlet pipecontrolled by the valve 41, to the drum 19, which is connected by thepipe 42, to the steam chest 38, having the steam outlet pipe 43.

The guide posts 39 are carried by the reciprocatory bars 44, and 45,which are conveniently supported by the levers 46, pivoted on theframe 1. The reciprocation of said bars tends to twist the thread whichextends toward the right from the rod 40, with respect to Figs. I, andII, and rolls the thread which is coextensive with the table, in contactwith the surface of the steam chest 38.

Each of the reciprocatory bars 44, and 45, are provided with thedepending arm 47, ar-

ranged to engage cams 48, formed on the sides of the respective pulleys50, and 51. Said arms being maintained in contact with their respectivecams by the spiral springs 52, which are secured at one end to thereciprocatory bars, and at the other end, to the levers 46, and whichnormally shift said bars 44, and 45, to the left with respect to Fig.III.

The pulleys 50, and 51, are connected to be synchronously rotated by thebelt 54, running in the grooves 55, and 56, on the respective pulley;the pulley 51, being connected by the belt 57, to'any suitable drivingmechanism, and the pulley 50, being con nected by the belt 58, with thepulley 28, to drive the heated drum 19.

As it is desirable to raise the threads from the machine when it is notin operation, and thereby prevent them from being scorched or rusted,the levers 46, are connected by cords or chains 60, whereby the freeends of said levers may be uplifted to raise the threads by engagementwith the cross rods 61, from the table surface.

It may be observed that the rotary drum 19, not only partially dries thethread but strips off the surplus liquid so as to prevent the threadfrom carrying an excess of liquid onto the steam table 38, therebypreventing a deposit of liquid tainted with dyeing chemicals on saidtable and thus insuring a per fectly clean and uniform colored thread.Moreover, owing to the constant rotation of said drum, no deposit ofliquid can become baked or dried on the surface of the drum, as thelatter is cleaned by its passage through the water in the reservoir 31,in which said drum turns, and, is automatically cleaned by the wires 34,and 35, which, as aforesaid are tightly stretched across the surface ofsaid drum.

It may be noted that the reciprocatory motion of the thread as hereindescribed is advantageous in that the thread is twisted and rolledtransversely while being longitudinally progressed, thereby closelytwisting the fibrous ends into the body of the thread, and

further, that said reciprocation prevents the thread from wearinggrooves in the table surface as has been found difficult to prevent inmachines of the prior art.

WVe do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise details ofconstruction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from theessential features of our lnvention.

We claim V 1. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with meansarranged to direct the thread through a liquid; of a rotary drum; meansarranged to roll said thread in contact with the periphery of said drum;a reservoir arranged to contain water in which said drum is partlysubmerged; and crossed wires in frictional contact with the surface ofsaid drum respectively extending from diametrically opposite sides ofone end of the drum, to diametrically opposite sides of the other end ofsaid drum, substantially as set forth.

2. Ina thread finishing machine, the combination with a table comprisinga heated surface arranged to support the threads dur ing theirprogression; of reciprocatory bars arranged to engage and shift saidthreads laterally; and, means arranged to uplift said threads from saidtable, at the will of the operator, substantially as set forth.

3. In a thread finish-ing machine, thecombination with a tablecomprising a heated surface arranged to support the threads during theirprogression; of reciprocatory bars arranged to engage and shift saidthreads laterally; pivoted levers arranged to support s'aid bars; and,means arranged to uplift the free ends of said levers and thereby raisethe threads from the table, substantially as set forth.

4. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with a tablecomprising a heated surface arranged to support the threads during theirprogression; of reciprocatory bars arranged to engage and shift saidthreads laterally; pivoted levers arranged to support said bars; and,connections attached to the free ends of said levers whereby the barsmay be raised to lift the threads from the table, substantially as setforth.

5. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means to coatthreads with a liquid; of a heated table; means to direct the coatedthreads over said table in contact with its surface; means comprising arotary drum between said coating means and said table, arranged toremove the surplus liquid from said threads; and means arranged touplift said threads from said table at the will of the operator;substantially as set forth.

6. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arranged todirect the thread through a liquid; of a rotary drum; means arranged toroll said thread in contact with the periphery of said drum,transversely to the direction of the length of the thread; and a pair ofwires arranged to continuously scrape and wash said drum while inoperation, substantially as set forth.

7. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arranged todirect the thread through a liquid; of a rotary drum; a pair of wiresarranged to scrape said drum; means arranged to roll said thread incontact with the periphery of said drum; and a reservoir arranged tocontain water in which said drum is partly submerged, substantially asset forth.

8. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with a reservoirarranged to contain a liquid; of means arranged to direct threadsthrough said liquid; posts in said reservoir arranged to separate saidthreads; wipers, in contact with which the respective threads pass,arranged to direct the surplus liquid pack into the reservoir; a rotarydrum arranged to partially dry said threads; a pair of wires forcleaning said drum; a table; and, means arranged to roll the threadstransversely to the direction of their length in contact with saidtable, substantially as set forth.

9. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arranged todirect the thread through a liquid; of a heated surface; means arrangedto twist said thread, and then roll it in contact with said heated surface; and means arranged to uplift said threads from saidheated'surface, at the will of the operator, substantially as set forth.

10. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arrangedto direct the thread through a liquid; of a steam chest comprising aheated surface; means arranged to twist said thread and then roll it incontact with said surface; and means Lrranged to uplift said threadsfrom said surface, at the will of the operator, substantially as setforth.

11. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arrangedto direct the thread through a liquid; of means arranged to partiallydry said thread; a heated surface; means arranged to twist said thread,and then roll it in contact with said surface; and means arranged touplift said threads from said table, at the will of the operator,substantially as set forth.

12. In a thread finishing machine, the combination with means arrangedto direct the thread through aliquid; of a heated table; means arrangedto reciprocate said thread laterally in contact with said table; arotary heated drum arranged to remove the surplus liquid from saidthread by contact therewith and a pair of wires for cleaning said drum,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names, at FountainHill in the State of Pennsylvania this eighth day of January 1906.

EMORY J. LIPPS. FREDERICK OTT. itnesses:

II. M. UEBERROTH, MARY D. IIOLLERAN.

